Serial camper van rental is a viable alternative to purchasing our own motorhome. It would allow us more flexibility in terms of the vehicles we might use, it also permits us to experience different types of campervan before purchasing. Most importantly, it means that we could rent or lease a motorhome that is adapted to the country we are in:

4×4 if we want to go exploring

a smaller van if the roads are good but we want to get off the beaten track

a luxury van for when we need a bit of pampering

You get the picture…

It would also permit us to rent a camper van with left-hand-drive in the countries marked in red and a right-hand-drive motorhome in the countries marked blue. Simplicity itself…

Disadvantages of Camper Van Rental

The problem, though, is that we would need to unpack every time we changed vans or countries. Not something we’d necessarily want to do, especially as we are approaching this from the perspective that this motorhome would be just that – our home.

The other issue with serial camper van rentals is that we would only want them one way and our experience with hiring cars when on holiday tells us that there is a hefty return fee applied for one-way rentals. For example, the one-way fee for a camper van or motor home you would pick-up in Auckland and drop-off in Wellington, NZ is about $500. This is on top of the rental charges of some $200+ per day and could add 20% to the cost of a holiday. Long term, this could add up to some serious expense.

Camper Van Rentals for Your Holiday

Campervan hire for a holiday, though, is an entirely different matter. In this case, you simply want to arrive in your destination, pick up your bags, find your van and get going…

But regardless of your destination, there are few things you will need to consider and we’ve listed some of them below:

Most camper van rental companies will require the driver to be over 21 years of age and to hold a valid driver’s license for at least 2 years.

Some companies will charge a refundable insurance deposit, usually a charge against your credit card, covering minor damages to the vehicle.

If you return the vehicle undamaged, the fee will be refunded.

Sometimes you might need extra gear. Bike racks, bicycles, GPS units, etc all come at extra cost. Be aware that it is often in the “extras” that the companies make their best margins and it is here that your costs will go up.

Know where you want to go on your holiday. Almost all rental companies have various restrictions such as limited mileage or road restrictions. For example, even 4×4 rentals in Australia are forbidden from parts of the Northern Territory.

Check the vehicle thoroughly when you pick up. Check the tires as they are very important for you safety. Check the engine oil and other liquids in the engine compartment. Then get into the driver’s seat and inspect all the controls. Make sure all the doors open, close and lock!

Make sure that everything you ordered and paid for is on board. Is the gas bottle full? Are all the cooking and dining utensils present? How about the bedding…are the sheets clean? Towels? Blankets? Are the water tanks full? Is the toilet canister empty?

Large camper van rental companies rotate their vehicles frequently while others keep older vehicles to keep the prices down. There is nothing wrong with an older vehicle when properly taken care of but be aware that

Finally, seriously consider booking in advance. If you’re planning your trip in the high season make that 2-3 months in advance. If you have a choice, the low season has its advantages: the airfare and rental prices are usually lower, and there are fewer vehicles on the road…

If you are looking for a campervan for hire for your next holiday, you might find the booking system at the bottom of this page helpful. It is simple to use, just select your holiday country, the dates of your campervan holidays and your country of residence. You’ll need to put in the driver age as well. Then click “Search”.